Original artwork, not a still
To sleep, perchance to dream. Ay, there's the rub, For in that sleep of death what dreams may come When we have shuffled off this mortal coil Must give us pause.
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
Hamlet compares death with sleep, then hesitates because the dreams of that unknown sleep cannot be predicted. The passage gives uncertainty as an obstacle to ending life; it is dramatic reflection rather than advice to act.
Sources (1)
- Folger Shakespeare Library: HamletHamlet, 3.1Reference checked
Context reviewed
